1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods, machine readable media and apparatuses for digital systems. In particular, the present invention relates to communication and transmission of digital data and electronic designs relating thereto.
2. Description of Related Art
A programmable logic device (PLD) is a programmable integrated circuit that allows the user of the circuit, using software control, to program particular logic functions the circuit will perform. A wide variety of these devices are manufactured by Altera Corporation. A more complete description of these types of devices and their uses can be found at xe2x80x9cwww.altera.comxe2x80x9d and in various materials published by Altera, but the basic structure and operation of PLDs are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Logic functions performed by small, medium, and large-scale integration integrated circuits can instead be performed by programmable logic devices. When an integrated circuit manufacturer supplies a typical programmable logic device, it is not yet capable of performing any specific function. The user, in conjunction with software supplied by the manufacturer or created by the user or an affiliated source, can program the PLD to perform a particular function or functions required by the user""s application. The PLD then can function in a larger system designed by the user just as though dedicated logic chips were employed.
PLDs now are used in a variety of communication and transmission systems involving digital data. Modulation and encoding systems, for example, can be implemented on a PLD and used to process and transmit digital data. Applications that store or transmit digital data require error correction to reduce the effect of spurious noise that can corrupt data. Digital communications systems designers can choose many types of error-correction codes to reduce the effect of errors in transmitted data, including burst errors that arise during transmission of data. Methods, machine readable media and apparatuses permitting relatively simple and full parameterization and optimization of error reduction and correction functions would represent a significant advancement in the art and a significant improvement in the digital system design process.
The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for creating a parameterized interleaver/de-interleaver megafunction for use in an electronic design, where the interleaver/de-interleaver megafunction requires specific setting of at least one variable parameter value. The method includes presenting a user with the opportunity to specify an adjustable parameter value for at least one interleaver/de-interleaver parameter. The specified parameter value then is received and a suitable interleaver and/or de-interleaver system is generated. Further details and advantages of the invention are provided in the following Detailed Description and the associated figures.